2016 Etchells World Championship - Going to the wire

by Louay Habib on 10 Sep 2016 The penultimate day of the Etchells World Championship produced another chapter in a highly competitive regatta. The wind was still in the upper range of 20+ knots, but a more southerly component produced gusty, shifting conditions.

The wind came over the top of the Isle of Wight, accelerating across the Eastern Solent pumping shifts both left and right. Getting off the start line, into clear air, has been paramount throughout this championship. However getting the wrong side of a big shift today, could and did, undo even the best start. Two races were completed, leaving one remaining race for the last day.

John Bertrand (AUS) is in pole position, but that lead has been eroded. Noel Drennan (AUS) momentarily took the overall lead, but ended the day eight points behind Bertrand. Stephen Benjamin (USA), maintains third, but had another day with drama, with a man overboard who was recovered. Benjamin is 11 points off the lead. In this fleet anyone of the three top teams could have a shocker tomorrow, the 2016 Etchells World Championship is going to the wire.

Dragon World Champion, Olympic bronze medallist and Round the World legend, Lawrie Smith (GBR), representing the Glandore Yacht Club, took the gun in race seven. Smith was pushed all the way by Noel Drennan (AUS), representing the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. Anatole Masfen (NZL), representing the Royal Akarana Yacht Club was third. The result put Smith up into the top five, but more importantly, with Bertrand scoring 34th, Drennan was the new overall leader, by a single point.

In race eight, Double Olympian, America's Cup helmsman and past Etchells World Champion, Andy Beadsworth, came off the line with power and speed, but it wasn't enough to win the race. Drennan and Smith both looked to be in the chocolates, but both got rolled downwind, as a shift favoured the chasing fleet. Drennan finished 18th, when a podium score looked likely, and Bertrand retained the overall lead.

Mark Thornburrow (AUS), representing the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, played the shifts well, and in the latter part of the race, covered brilliantly from the front to take the bullet. Beadsworth (GBR), representing Warsash Sailing Club was second. James Badenach (AUS), representing the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, scored the first podium finish of the campaign, to end the day on a high. Badenach's team are almost assured of taking the Corinthian Prize, but will be looking to break into the top ten overall tomorrow.

Cowes Yacht Haven was overflowing with Etchells sailors after racing, with free beer provided by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The Etchells Class is close to fifty years old, but the future is in its youth. Scott Kaufman, representing the Shelter Island Yacht Club, has been racing Etchells for years, but his crew are all under 30. Jesse Kirkland represented Bermuda in the 49er at the 2012 Olympics. Lucas Calabrese is just back from the Rio Olympic Games, where he won the bronze medal in the 470 for Argentina. Austen Andersen is the youngest of Kaufman's crew, a highly talented Hobart College sailor and coach from New York State.

“The future of the Etchells Class is the youth sailors.” commented Scott.” I am sailing with great young sailors, two of them are Olympians, and you see other young sailors at the worlds. This is where this class needs to be going; promoting the young teams, that is where the growth will come from. I hope that during this world championship, we can move up as a team, tighten up as a group, and get ready for the next major event, which will be the 2017 Etchells Worlds in San Francisco. We are sailing better than we did in Newport for the 2014 Worlds and winning a race here was really special. To win at the highest possible level, you have to put it all together, and do that all of the time.”

Past World Champion and Olympic Match Racing helm, Lucy MacGregor, is one of Britain's most successful sailors, and currently competing in the Nacra 17, high performance catamaran. Lucy is one of over a dozen women, competing at the Etchells World Championship. “The Etchells is very different to racing a Nacra 17, but very similar to Match Racing boats, so I have been getting the notes out from four years ago.” commented Lucy MacGregor. “It is good to refresh your memory and it's a bit like riding a bike. Our team has competed at loads of Etchells events in Cowes this summer and it has been a lot of fun, especially the worlds, with so many talented sailors here from all over the world.”

Racing at the 2016 Etchells World Championship will come to a conclusion tomorrow, high winds are forecast, hinting at a final twist for the 2016 Etchells World Championship.



2016 Etchells World Championship - Preliminary Cumulative Results

   

Bow   Sail Number Yacht Name Yacht Design Skipper/Crew Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 T O Total World Championship Racing One Design Division Etchells 1. 83   AUS 1383 Triad2 Etchells John Bertrand / Paul Blowers / Ben Lamb 4 2 22 5 5 6 34 8 [34] 52.0 2. 33   SIN 1333 Matatu Etchells Noel Drennan / Brian Hammersley / Andrew Mills 7 17 1 12 16 5 2 18 [18] 60.0 3. 62   USA 1262 Scimitar Etchells Stephen Benjamin / Michael Menninger / Ian Liberty / George Peet 14 5 5 1 17 20 10 11 [20] 63.0 4. 74   AUS 874 Tango Etchells Chris Hampton / Sam Haines / Mark Andrews 1 8 28 13 3 24 9 10 [28] 68.0 5. 34   GBR 1434 Alfie Etchells Lawrie Smith / Joost Houweling / Tim Tavinor 40 6 3 6 27 9 1 22 [40] 74.0 6. 6   HKG 1406 Racer X 2 Etchells Mark Thornburrow / Mike Huang / Malcolm Page / Simon Cooke 18 12 9 4 59/UFD 29 5 1 [59] 78.0 7. 38   GBR 1438 Swedish Blue Etchells Ante Razmilovic / Chris Larson / Stuart Flinn 30 1 10 17 20 12 6 13 [30] 79.0 8. 25   SUI 1425 TQUILA Etchells Seamus McHugh / Luis Doreste / David Vera Vera / Leo Ramio 21 14 2 3 26 11 20 9 [26] 80.0 9. 30   GBR 1430 K2 Etchells Andy Beadsworth / Grant Simmer / Steve Jarvin 16 7 20 11 43 2 27 2 [43] 85.0 10. 96   USA 1396 Aretas Etchells Skip Dieball / Jon McClean / Jeff Eiber 59/OCS 10 13 35 8 3 4 15 [59] 88.0 11. 54   NZL 1348 Feng Shui Etchells Andrew Wills / Anatole Masfen / Matthew Kelway 31 3 38 8 11 21 3 19 [38] 96.0 12. 31   GBR 1431 Strait Dealer Etchells David Franks / Graham Sunderland / Amy Prime / Richard Mason 11 29 19 7 6 18 11 48 [48] 101.0 13. 44   USA 1414 Skanky Gene Etchells Jay Cross / Dirk Kneulman / Michael Buckley / Stephanie Roble 25 27 8 2 35 4 38 7 [38] 108.0 14. 85   HKG 1285 The General (Corinthian) Etchells James Badenach / Christian Thompson / Elliot Hanson / Martin Wrigley 6 41 17 20 59/UFD 13 12 3 [59] 112.0 15. 19   USA 1198 America Jane 11 Etchells Scott Kaufman / Jesse Kirkland / Lucas Calabrase / Austen Andersen 59/UFD 11 6 24 1 15 36 20 [59] 113.0 16. 7   GBR 1407 Ice Etchells Andrew Cooper / Mark Mansfield / Calum Healey 19 9 15 29 44 7 26 16 [44] 121.0 17. 4   USA 1404 Lifted Etchells Jim Cunningham / Jeff Madrigali / Mark Ivey / Bryn Bachman 26 31 29 31 2 8 7 21 [31] 124.0 18. 13   USA 1397 Raging Rooster Etchells Peter Duncan / Thomas Blackwell / Judson Smith 2 21 31 38 4 19 28 23 [38] 128.0 19. 18   USA 1415 La Tomenta Etchells Shannon Bush / Brad Boston / Curt Oetking 5 23 14 16 21 37 23 30 [37] 132.0 20. 11   USA 1000 Elizabeth Etchells Tom Carruthers / Chris Busch / Andrew Palfrey 8 47 39 18 15 10 41 6 [47] 137.0 21. 97   POR 1197 Powwow Etchells Pedro Andrade / Henry bagnall / Charles Nankin 3 24 35 42 30 17 13 26 [42] 148.0 22. 43   USA 1375 Rock N' Roll Etchells Argyle Campbell / Tom Forrester-Coles / Kelvin Matthews / Victor Diaz de Leon 12 34 59/DSQ 56 31 1 18 4 [59] 156.0 23. 28   HKG 1428 Les Freak Sont Chic Etchells Marty Kaye / Charlie Cumbley / Marco Pocci 13 16 25 9 59/UFD 59/DNF 16 24 [59] 162.0 24. 29   GBR 1329 Stampede Etchells Rob Goddard / Nigel King / Tom Barker 20 15 36 21 9 31 32 44 [44] 164.0 25. 20   AUS 1226 Sumo (Corinthian) Etchells Martin Webster / Annabel Vose / Peter Nicholas / Chris Smith 9 18 16 15 59/UFD 59/RET 37 12 [59] 166.0 26. 8   IRL 1038 Doris Etchells Julia Bailey / Jay Bourke / Martin Payne 59/UFD 36 7 34 42 16 19 14 [59] 168.0 27. 57   GBR 957 Hephaestus (Corinthian) Etchells Thomas Brennan / Ian Dobson / Sam Maxfield / Honor Fell 23 4 26 25 50 36 24 32 [50] 170.0 28. 65   AUS 1165 Wobbegong2 Etchells Doug Flynn / Seve Jarvin / Alex Flynn 39 20 12 32 38 14 22 34 [39] 172.0 29. 9   GBR 1409 Hancock Etchells William McNeill / Mark Yeabsley / Charlie Dodd 28 25 24 19 29 30 17 49 [49] 172.0 30. 39   GBR 1439 Bon Vivant Etchells Robert Elliott / Lucy Macgregor / Dave Evans / Kate Macgregor 22 28 23 33 39 27 8 37 [39] 178.0 31. 41   GBR 1441 Highlife Etchells Peter Rogers / Ben Cooper / Neil Harrison 33 37 27 10 7 39 31 35 [39] 180.0 32. 27   HKG 1345 Conspiracy Etchells James Polson / Akira Sakai / Rory Godman 53 30 49 14 10 59/RET 14 28 [59] 198.0 33. 37   GBR 1437 Exabyte 7 Etchells Shaun Frohlich / David Bedford / Duncan Truswell 10 44 55 44 34 26 15 38 [55] 211.0 34. 0   UAE 1400 African Queen Etchells Jan Muysken / Peter McNeill / Brett Aarons 48 19 30 48 23 25 29 39 [48] 213.0 35. 76   GBR 967 Moonlight (Corinthian) Etchells Mark Downer / George Downer / Dominic Mortimer 41 33 11 51 37 34 46 25 [51] 227.0 36. 15   USA 1305 Clean Execution Etchells Michael Gavin / Bill Abbott / Wess Bemus 27 59/OCS 18 57 25 38 33 29 [59] 227.0 37. 67   AUS 1150 Chelsea Lady (Corinthian) Etchells Bill Steele / Chris Pratt / Geoff Reilly 42 22 45 36 18 35 30 47 [47] 228.0 38. 92   GBR 927 Shamal Etchells Paul Lees / Mark Lees / Toby Mumford 50 13 37 49 14 33 42 42 [50] 230.0 39. 5   AUS 1286 Entourage Etchells Shane Guanaria / Leigh Riddell / Matthew Ramaley 35 51 48 28 59/UFD 40 25 5 [59] 232.0 40. 68   AUS 868 AUS 1435 Etchells Jeanne-Claude Strong / Neville Wittey / Marcus Burke / Kate Devereux 43 54 4 22 28 45 53 45 [54] 240.0 41. 91   HKG 1339 Freelance (Corinthian) Etchells Maarten Jamin / Charlie Manzoni / Willem Van Walt Meijer / Christina Cully 24 59/RET 41 39 48 22 51 17 [59] 242.0 42. 51   GBR 1351 Luder (Corinthian) Etchells Edward Owen / John Greenwood / Simon Stewart 36 40 33 30 59/UFD 59/RET 21 33 [59] 252.0 43. 75   AUS 875 Whisper Etchells Bruce Ferguson / Cameron Miles / James Meggison 46 26 42 27 13 44 55 59/UFD [59] 253.0 44. 52   GBR 1352 Jolly Roger Etchells Tom Abrey / Matt Reid / Jack Wetherell 15 38 44 53 36 23 49 50 [53] 255.0 45. 87   IRL 987 Bedrock (Corinthian) Etchells Richard Burrows / Samantha Burrows / James Downer 29 43 54 47 46 28 35 31 [54] 259.0 46. 49   BER 1249 Thrash (Corinthian) Etchells Tim Patton / Tom Herbert-Evans / Richard Percy 45 32 21 50 40 32 45 46 [50] 261.0 47. 17   GBR 1417 China Wight Etchells Nick Stagg / Kim Ridge / Tim Thubron 32 45 51 41 24 42 44 40 [51] 268.0 48. 71   GBR 1271 Ziggy (Corinthian) Etchells Tim Gratton / Emily Wiltshire / Lilly Carlisle / Jack Davies 52 59/OCS 47 37 19 43 48 27 [59] 273.0 49. 46   GBR 1046 Titans Etchells Toby Yeabsley / James Anderson / Duncan Yeabsley 47 35 34 46 33 47 54 41 [54] 283.0 50. 98   USA 1298 Cool Shivy (Corinthian) Etchells Gregory Hodkinson / Donald Shillingburg / Marc Robert 17 42 43 54 41 51 40 54 [54] 288.0 51. 94   AUS 1399 That's Life (Corinthian) Etchells Ian Crisp / Marcus Sill / David Buckland 38 50 50 23 45 49 39 51 [51] 294.0 52. 32   GBR 1432 Desperate Etchells Rob Tyrwhitt-Drake / Roger Reynolds / Ben Cassford / Judith French 59/UFD 49 53 45 32 41 43 43 [59] 306.0 53. 53   GBR 1353 Manta (Corinthian) Etchells David Kitchen / Ruairi Grimes / Patrick Dillon 49 52 46 40 49 50 47 36 [52] 317.0 54. 14   AUS 1395 Should'a Gone Left (Corinthian) Etchells Peter Coleman / Iain Gartley / Glenn Ferguson 34 53 40 43 51 46 52 53 [53] 319.0 55. 1   USA 971 Spirit of Freedom Etchells Kjeld Hestehave / Chuck Skewes / Ross Slater 44 59/OCS 32 26 59/UFD 52 50 59/UFD [59] 322.0 56. 66   GBR 1266 Escape (Corinthian) Etchells Stephen Line / Matthew Hannaby / Sam Eversfield 54 48 56 58 12 48 58 56 [58] 332.0 57. 48   GBR 1148 Silver Lining (Corinthian) Etchells Murray Chapples / Sam Smith / Quentin Bes-Green 51 46 52 52 22 59/RET 57 55 [59] 335.0 58. 88   USA 1388 Annie (Corinthian) Etchells Gary Gilbert / Jack Sharland / Morgan Dibb / Bex Partridge 37 39 57 55 47 59/RET 56 52 [59] 343.0   2016 Etchells World Championship - Corinthian Teams - Preliminary Cumulative Results Bow   Sail Number Yacht Name Yacht Design Skipper/Crew Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 T O Total World Championship Racing One Design Division Etchells 1. 85   HKG 1285 The General Etchells James Badenach / Christian Thompson / Elliot Hanson / Martin Wrigley 6 41 17 20 59/UFD 13 12 3 [59] 112.0 2. 20   AUS 1226 Sumo Etchells Martin Webster / Annabel Vose / Peter Nicholas / Chris Smith 9 18 16 15 59/UFD 59/RET 37 12 [59] 166.0 3. 57   GBR 957 Hephaestus Etchells Thomas Brennan / Ian Dobson / Sam Maxfield / Honor Fell 23 4 26 25 50 36 24 32 [50] 170.0 4. 76   GBR 967 Moonlight Etchells Mark Downer / George Downer / Dominic Mortimer 41 33 11 51 37 34 46 25 [51] 227.0 5. 67   AUS 1150 Chelsea Lady Etchells Bill Steele / Chris Pratt / Geoff Reilly 42 22 45 36 18 35 30 47 [47] 228.0 6. 91   HKG 1339 Freelance Etchells Maarten Jamin / Charlie Manzoni / Willem Van Walt Meijer / Christina Cully 24 59/RET 41 39 48 22 51 17 [59] 242.0 7. 51   GBR 1351 Luder Etchells Edward Owen / John Greenwood / Simon Stewart 36 40 33 30 59/UFD 59/RET 21 33 [59] 252.0 8. 87   IRL 987 Bedrock Etchells Richard Burrows / Samantha Burrows / James Downer 29 43 54 47 46 28 35 31 [54] 259.0 9. 49   BER 1249 Thrash Etchells Tim Patton / Tom Herbert-Evans / Richard Percy 45 32 21 50 40 32 45 46 [50] 261.0 10. 71   GBR 1271 Ziggy Etchells Tim Gratton / Emily Wiltshire / Lilly Carlisle / Jack Davies 52 59/OCS 47 37 19 43 48 27 [59] 273.0 11. 98   USA 1298 Cool Shivy Etchells Gregory Hodkinson / Donald Shillingburg / Marc Robert 17 42 43 54 41 51 40 54 [54] 288.0 12. 94   AUS 1399 That's Life Etchells Ian Crisp / Marcus Sill / David Buckland 38 50 50 23 45 49 39 51 [51] 294.0 13. 53   GBR 1353 Manta Etchells David Kitchen / Ruairi Grimes / Patrick Dillon 49 52 46 40 49 50 47 36 [52] 317.0 14. 14   AUS 1395 Should'a Gone Left Etchells Peter Coleman / Iain Gartley / Glenn Ferguson 34 53 40 43 51 46 52 53 [53] 319.0 15. 66   GBR 1266 Escape Etchells Stephen Line / Matthew Hannaby / Sam Eversfield 54 48 56 58 12 48 58 56 [58] 332.0 16. 48   GBR 1148 Silver Lining Etchells Murray Chapples / Sam Smith / Quentin Bes-Green 51 46 52 52 22 59/RET 57 55 [59] 335.0 17. 88   USA 1388 Annie Etchells Gary Gilbert / Jack Sharland / Morgan Dibb / Bex Partridge 37 39 57 55 47 59/RET 56 52 [59] 343.0